Stoke St Michael Primary School

Stoke St. Michael School

Reporting inspector: Mrs Christine Huard

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Stoke St. Michael School

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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Stoke St. Michael School

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Stoke St. Michael Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Moonshill Road Stoke St. Michael Somerset Postcode: BA3 5LG

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs K Newbury

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: December 1996 Stoke St. Michael Primary School - 4

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Team members

Mrs Christine Huard ( OFSTED no. 27290) Registered inspector

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Team members

Mrs Rona Orme (OFSTED no. 9999) Lay inspector

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Team members

Cambridge Education Associates Demeter House Station House, Cambridge, CB1 2RS

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Team members

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Stoke St. Michael Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Stoke St Michael School is a much smaller than average, community primary school with 64 boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 11. Although there is an almost equal number of boys and girls there is a big gender imbalance in both Years 1 and 5. Pupils who attend the school are mainly from the local village community and are from a wide variety of backgrounds although there are no pupils from ethnic minorities. There are 8 pupils who are eligible for free school meals. This is 12.5 per cent and below average. There are 10 pupils on the school's register of special educational needs, which at 17 per cent is close to the national average. No pupils have statements of special educational need which is below the national average. The attainment of pupils when they first enter the school is about average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Stoke St Michael is a good school where pupils are taught well. The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and the governors fulfil their roles efficiently. The school provides a very effective environment for learning. Pupils reach high standards in their work and achieve well in their personal development. The school gives good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils achieve high standards in literacy and numeracy in Years 5 and 6. • Standards of teaching are good overall and very good for the oldest pupils. • Pupils' attitudes to learning and relationships are good. • The quality of curriculum planning is high. • The leadership and management of the school are strong • The school's relationships with parents are very good.

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What could be improved

• The pace of lessons for pupils in the middle class is not always brisk enough. • Full implementation of the Foundation Stage curriculum needs to be undertaken by all staff teaching the youngest children. • The standards of supervision at lunchtimes are not high enough. • Registers are incorrectly marked. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in December 1996. Since that time the school has made substantial improvements in a number of areas, and particularly in the key issues identified for action. It is well placed to continue to improve. The results achieved by the oldest pupils in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, have shown significant improvements and have risen in excess of the national trend. The trend in Key Stage 1 ran counter to national improvements until 1999 when the school acted to improve provision in this key stage by reorganising classes and teachers. As a result standards rose significantly and this improvement continued in 2000. The key issues for improvement from the last inspection focused on the leadership and management of the school, how the curriculum was planned, the personal development of pupils and the school's relationships with parents. The leadership and

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

management - particularly of the financial elements - have improved significantly with clear direction being provided by the headteacher and the governors. The school has successfully taken action to provide appropriate schemes of work and effectively monitors these to ensure that pupils are sufficiently challenged. Appropriate opportunities are provided to enhance the pupils' personal development although there is still some scope for further improvements. Relationships with parents are now strong and there is a new found trust in the working relationship between home and school. The good standards identified in the last report in teaching have improved with a significant proportion of very good teaching being observed. The good standard of pupils’ responses and the provision made for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development have been maintained. Stoke St. Michael Primary School - 7

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STANDARDS

The table showing standards achieved by 11-year-olds in each of the last four years has been omitted from the report because of the very small number of pupils in the year group. This can make comparisons with national percentages and those for similar schools very misleading. The school did not achieve its targets for English and mathematics in 2000 because over half the year group moved away from the school during the year. Although other pupils joined the school, the profile of the year group changed dramatically. Over half the pupils who took the tests were on the school's register of special educational needs. This made the targets set unrealistic in the circumstances. However, the pupils did achieve standards which were in excess of those expected given their prior attainment. Inspection findings are that standards are high at the end of Key Stage 2, particularly in literacy and numeracy. The targets set for 2001 are high and challenging but an examination of the work being

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STANDARDS

produced by the pupils in Year 6 indicates that the targets are realistic and likely to be met.

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STANDARDS

Over the last four years, the overall trend in the school's results in English and mathematics has been close to the national average but below average in science at the end of Key Stage 2. These reflect the low standards being achieved at the start of that period. Over the same period, results at the end of Key Stage 1 have been well above average in reading and very high in writing and mathematics. Although results were high, they dropped steadily until 1998 when the school acted to rearrange classes and they rose again in 1999. The school has made the decision to teach science discretely in both key stages instead of it being part of a topic. This has already had a positive impact on the standards of work being produced.

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STANDARDS

The youngest children make good progress in the reception class. The standards they achieve are in line with what might be expected for children of that age and above average in language, literacy and communication skills.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good overall. Pupils are keen to learn and interested and involved in activities.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good overall in lessons and at playtimes. However, at lunchtime, behaviour is generally too boisterous because supervision is unsatisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good. Pupils develop good levels of initiative and personal responsibility. Pupils show respect for others.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Satisfactory. Attendance rates are in line with the national average.

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Aspect Comment

The school functions very well as a friendly and orderly community. The oldest pupils show that the school is successful in enabling them to develop as responsible individuals who are aware of their own learning. However, they have few opportunities to take extra responsibility in their dealings with the youngest pupils. Some of the younger pupils show immature and unsettled behaviour on a few occasions; the oldest have developed maturity and responsibility. Boisterous behaviour by a few pupils during a wet lunchtime was exacerbated by a lack of awareness by the senior supervisory staff. Stoke St. Michael Primary School - 8

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Teaching of pupils: Aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years Aged 7-11 years

Lessons seen overall Good Satisfactory Very good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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Teaching of pupils: Aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years Aged 7-11 years

The standard of teaching is good overall and evidence from pupils' work indicates that high academic standards have been maintained over time. At present, the Year 2/3 class is taught by a teacher on a temporary contract covering long-term sickness. All the lessons observed were satisfactory or better. Thirty three per cent were good and a further forty two per cent very good. Teaching in most aspects of the key skills of literacy and numeracy is good. The school has benefited from the introduction of the national strategies for literacy and numeracy, which it has implemented well and adapted in line with its approach to learning. The pace of lessons is usually good. However, it does slacken on occasions in the Year 2/3 class which results in progress slowing. Teachers generally provide activities which enable individuals to achieve well in their academic work and in their personal development. The use of

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Teaching of pupils: Aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years Aged 7-11 years

personal targets combined with regular feedback from teachers enables pupils, particularly in the top class to have high levels of awareness of their own learning.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. The school offers a broad range of interesting and relevant activities to pupils of all ages.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good, in the provision both for pupils who need additional support with their learning and for the higher attaining pupils.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good provision overall with strengths in the promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral and cultural development.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Good overall provision for pupils’ well-being. The school has a caring ethos. There are weaknesses in a few procedures.

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Aspect Comment

The school has prepared itself very well for the introduction of Curriculum 2000 and its planning procedures are of high quality. It offers a range of extra-curricular activities - often run by parents or volunteers. The good support for pupils with special educational needs is based on detailed individual education plans and regular termly assessments of progress. Whole school acts of collective worship promote pupils’ spiritual and cultural awareness particularly effectively. Registers are incorrectly marked by some staff. This makes it difficult to track attendance effectively.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The headteacher provides strong, effective leadership and is supported well by the staff. There is a strong spirit of teamwork and commitment among the full time teachers.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil The governors manage the school well. Their understanding of their role Stoke St. Michael Primary School - 9 their responsibilities has considerably improved since the last inspection and they now work efficiently. They are more actively involved in the school and support its development. They question sensibly what it does and are aware of its strengths and weaknesses.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school analyses its results, teaching and curriculum well and takes action to improve. It consults widely amongst governors, staff and parents on its further development. The written improvement plans effectively outline priorities and the means of monitoring achievements.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good overall. Funds are directed to priority areas and their use is controlled and monitored very well.

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Aspect Comment

The school has maintained a good quality of education during a time of considerable staffing difficulty. The governors are waiting for a decision by the local authority about a personnel decision. The delay in resolving the issue is difficult for a small school and imposes an unnecessarily onerous burden of work on the teaching head. The present management of the school is very effective in seeking to ensure best value in its spending decisions by questioning what it does and ensuring that funds are spent wisely.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children make good progress. • Behaviour is good. • Teaching is good. • They are well informed about their children's progress. • The school has high expectations. • The school is well led and managed. • The school helps their children become mature and responsible. • Lunchtime supervision.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with parents’ positive views. The team shares parents’ concerns about the arrangements for lunchtime supervision. Although no bullying was witnessed, pupils' behaviour is too rumbustious and supervisors are ineffective in responding to this. Stoke St. Michael Primary School - 10

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Pupils achieve high standards in literacy and numeracy in Years 5 and 6.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. The pupils achieve high standards in literacy and numeracy particularly in years 5 and 6. The school has adapted the literacy strategy and is using the framework in an appropriate way that meets the needs of the pupils in the school. Because there is such a wide age and ability range within each class the school has chosen to remove the guided reading from the literacy hour in order to tackle the two elements of reading and writing in a more focused way. The school now has a carefully planned programme for English that is varied and matches the needs of all the pupils. It provides a stimulating curriculum, which challenges and excites the pupils and enables them to tackle challenging texts from a range of genres with confidence and enthusiasm.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. Assessments made when pupils enter the school indicate that the overall level of ability is around average. However, the teachers build successfully on what the pupils already know. The pupils make good progress and achieve well. By the time they leave the school they have very good literacy and numeracy skills. The focus on achieving high standards is apparent from the time pupils enter the school. The pupils in Year 1 take a real joy in identifying familiar words and phrases in the text 'Can't you Sleep Little Bear?'. They show a good developing knowledge of how to work out unfamiliar words by sounding out the sounds of the letters and letter combinations and are beginning to read expressively. Although the pace of learning is a little slower in the middle class the pupils retain their enthusiasm for reading and pupils of all abilities are challenged and enthusiastic. In the top class the teacher focuses on a group each day to

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

extend their reading strategies. She asks challenging questions to ensure that pupils understand not only the text they are reading but also about the structure of the text. In one lesson observed, pupils effectively scanned the poem they were reading in order to extract the information they needed. They understood and appreciated the black humour used and could express clearly their preferences and reasons why they chose 'Matilda' as the poem they were going to dramatise.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. When preparing for their written work pupils in Years 5 and 6 displayed an ability to recall previous learning and put it to good use in class discussion. Speaking and listening skills are highly developed. Pupils express their ideas confidently and respond to questions eagerly. They show a good knowledge of punctuation and grammatical conventions. They comment on the structure of the poem they are studying: 'each line starts with a noun followed by a verb'. They notice that the poem is making objects sound like a human being and discuss the use of active and passive verbs confidently. The pupils enjoy experimenting with words and use an advanced level of vocabulary when discussing the effect the sea had on the boat. The teacher comprehensively explains the task of writing their own poem in a similar style and pupils approach it enthusiastically and produce results of a high standard; for example, 'car croaked, charge me up'.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

4. The variety within the English curriculum stimulates the imagination of pupils. Pupils have debated the pros and cons of capital punishment and clearly understand the difference between fact and opinion. They are encouraged to experiment with language in their extended writing. One pupil wrote : 'Ghostly shapes shadowed from the moonlight peered over the damp shabby house, ' as the opening of her story intended to create an atmosphere of fear. They cover a very wide range of work which ensures that their developing skills in grammar, punctuation and spelling are used constructively within relevant contexts rather than as work sheet exercises. There is a clear progression of work by pupils of all abilities. Pupils take a pride in the presentation of their work which is consistently neat.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5. Throughout the school the numeracy strategy has been embraced with enthusiasm. It is implemented particularly well in the top class. Here, lessons are brisk, enthusiasm is contagious and pupils respond eagerly and enthusiastically to the high quality teaching. They relish the challenge of mental arithmetic quick fire questions to start a lesson and show a well above average ability to make mental calculations using the four rules. The teacher has high Stoke St. Michael Primary School - 11 expectations and the pupils respond accordingly. Positive relationships enhance the teacher's ability to maintain pupils’ attention, and ensure their active participation in lessons. Pupils answer questions confidently and share ideas and strategies for solving mathematical problems which build on previous work and methods.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

6. Pupils are challenged and achieve high standards for their own ability level. High standards are achieved because pupils are constantly on-task; they listen attentively and respond promptly to questions. All work builds on what has gone before. Higher attaining pupils, for example, were confident in working in imperial and metric measures and can construct and use a conversion graph effectively. They help and support each other aided by the teacher who encourages all pupils. Self-esteem is raised by teachers encouraging and expecting pupils to share what they have done and the methods they have employed.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Standards of teaching are good overall and very good for the oldest pupils.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

7. The quality of teaching is good overall and is a major strength of the school. In the 12 lessons observed all the teaching was sound or better. Four were good and five were very good. The teaching was strongest in the Year 4/5/6 class where all the lessons observed were very good. The teaching and the opportunities it provides for pupils to improve their learning skills are the major factors which contribute to the good standards the school is constantly striving for and achieving. The overall quality of teaching has been improved since the previous inspection and the unsatisfactory elements identified then have been eliminated.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

8. The main teacher in the Early Years class meets the needs of the children at the Foundation Stage, and the pupils in Year 1, well and provides them with a stimulating and imaginative learning environment. Good attention is given to praising and children's work and they are encouraged to express opinions and demonstrate their knowledge from an early stage. As a result, the pupils pay careful attention and respond enthusiastically to their teacher and make good progress with their learning. In the middle class teaching contains good features and the tasks provided inspire and interest the pupils.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

9. Expectations of what pupils can achieve are high, particularly in the core subjects of English, and mathematics. The literacy and numeracy strategies have been well implemented and all pupils are fully occupied with suitably challenging tasks during the times when the class teacher is concentrating on one group of pupils. Pupils are able to work unaided because the work is carefully matched to the pupils in each group and teachers give clear instructions as to the work to be tackled and ensure that the pupils understand what they are to do before they start. This was particularly evident in a literacy lesson where all pupils were set tasks to write their own poems using personification. They clearly enjoyed experimenting with language and the older pupils also experimented well with the structure of the poem in order to reproduce similar effects to that achieved by the poet. The lesson was successfully rounded off with a review of pupils'

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

work which highlighted what pupils had learned and acknowledged the very good learning that had taken place, particularly by the oldest pupils who also showed that they had gained a good understanding of the use of active and passive verbs.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

10. The teaching in the Year 4/5/6 class is characterised by a very good range of teaching techniques. A good mixture of class teaching, collaborative activities and individual activities with individual targets all encourage and act as incentives to the pupils to achieve the highest standards possible. The class teacher effectively introduces quiet humour into her teaching when appropriate which helps to maintain the pupils' interest. She uses questions skilfully. This has the effect of not only establishing what pupils have learnt but also shows where further work is needed in order to re-inforce understanding. The pupils and their teacher have a very good rapport and this helps to engage pupils' interest and enjoyment. Discipline is very good and lessons are conducted at a brisk pace. In numeracy, particularly good use of time is made in mental activities and no time is wasted and pupils enjoy the quick fire activities. Pupils actively

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

contribute to lessons, they are expected to be able to explain methods used when for example, they are carrying out investigative activities in mathematics. Their careful and well thought out explanations not only help other pupils but give a clear indication of the levels of understanding Stoke St. Michael Primary School - 12 achieved. They add to pupils' self-esteem and thus enhance their personal development as well as increasing their knowledge.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Pupils' attitudes to learning and relationships are good.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

11. Pupils are keen to come to school. They feel safe and valued by staff and their peers. They show positive attitudes to learning and enjoy being in school, appreciating the efforts of the staff in providing a caring environment in which they feel valued. They carry out duties responsibly and sensibly, for instance when preparing the hall for acts of collective worship or preparing the computers for the Year 1 pupils.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

12. In lessons, pupils are nearly always ready to start lessons. They prepare their books with the minimum of fuss and sit expectantly so that minimum time is wasted and teachers can get on straight away. Pupils listen very carefully to instructions, work well independently or in co- operation with others and show an enthusiasm to do well. They respond eagerly to questions, whilst listening carefully to others' opinions. Pupils are happy to explain what they are doing and are confident to seek advice from teachers if they are unsure of what to do. They concentrate well on their work, enjoy being challenged and persevere when they find learning difficult. This was particularly evident in the literacy hour, where all pupils settle very quickly and purposefully to the group or independent tasks and worked hard whilst teachers were busy with other pupils.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

13. Relationships are good. Most adults who work or help in the school are good role models. Pupils form friendly relationships with one another and with the staff. In classes, there is an atmosphere of willing co-operation and mutual respect and trust between staff and pupils. Pupils are sensitive to each other's feelings; they work and play together happily in mixed gender groups. Pupils with special educational needs are fully integrated into classroom activities and the other pupils appreciate their efforts.

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The quality of curriculum planning is high and offers pupils a wide range of

14. The school has positively and thoroughly reviewed its planning systems in the light of Curriculum 2000 and made significant improvements in the curriculum offered to the pupils as a result. The school provides a wide and interesting range of learning opportunities. The requirements of the National Curriculum and the local Agreed Syllabus for religious education are met. While the school has reacted positively to the recent national emphasis on literacy and numeracy, it has sought to ensure that its pupils continue to be provided with a broad range of activities in all subjects.

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The quality of curriculum planning is high and offers pupils a wide range of

15. Literacy and numeracy have been effectively implemented. The literacy strategy has been effectively adapted to meet the needs of the school and guided reading separated out in order to focus more clearly on the skills required for extended writing during the literacy hour. The teachers are able to spend more time profitably on group and individual reading at another time and this has had a positive impact on standards in both elements.

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The quality of curriculum planning is high and offers pupils a wide range of

16. Not all subjects were seen being taught during the inspection but lively and interesting displays of work in all subjects throughout the school and evidence from pupils’ work indicate that the school is successful in retaining the breadth of its curriculum. There are good policies to underpin provision and a clear overall statement of the school’s curricular aims. Consistency and depth in teachers’ long-term planning are ensured by agreed procedures and a shared approach to the work by all three full time staff.

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The quality of curriculum planning is high and offers pupils a wide range of

17. Following the monitoring of science and the assessment test results, the decision was made to teach science discretely instead of part of the school's topic programme as in the past. This has led to the coverage being more comprehensive and the individual elements of the curriculum are covered at greater depth than before. This has contributed to a significant improvement in the school's national test results. Stoke St. Michael Primary School - 13 18. The school is aware that in the past the teaching has been insufficiently focused on the skills the pupils need to carry out their work. To this end they have produced a curriculum which is relevant to their own pupils. Very good provision is made for pupils with special educational needs and all work is carefully related to good quality, relevant individual education plans. Particular attention has been paid to the skills pupils require in the foundation subjects. A topic cycle has been

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The quality of curriculum planning is high and offers pupils a wide range of

introduced but within this scheme staff are encouraged to review and adapt to make each topic special.

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The quality of curriculum planning is high and offers pupils a wide range of

19. All full time teachers maintain a high quality planning file. There are good cross-curricular references for each element. For example, in design and technology pupils are finding out how bread is made, but they are also investigating bread from different countries, which enhances their cultural awareness. Tasks are carefully matched to the needs of individual pupils; in all classes groupings relate to ability in a particular subject rather than age. This means that pupils are not stereotyped in any way and can make the best progress possible in each subject area.

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The quality of curriculum planning is high and offers pupils a wide range of

20. A wide range of extra-curricular activities takes place. These are often run by parents or volunteers from the local community. This enables the pupils to re-inforce and extend their personal interests and also enhances the positive relationships now in place between the school and parents and local community.

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The quality of curriculum planning is high and offers pupils a wide range of

The leadership and management of the school are strong.

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The quality of curriculum planning is high and offers pupils a wide range of

21. The headteacher has a very clear vision for the school and works very well together with the whole staff team. Because of the long-term illness of one member of staff the school has no senior teacher. However, other full time staff members have willingly shouldered extra responsibilities in order to keep the school running as an effective and orderly institution. All full time staff are involved in the management and development of subject areas, although a great deal of discussion and consultation takes place amongst the team.

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The quality of curriculum planning is high and offers pupils a wide range of

22. The governors' roles have increased substantially since the last inspection and they now take a far greater part in the management of the school and have a greater understanding of their responsibilities than previously. The headteacher provides regular reports on how the school is progressing, for example, with the planning and implementation of Curriculum 2000, which enables them to remain abreast of developments. They visit regularly and monitor events in the classroom on a regular basis using pre-agreed criteria. They compile written reports and feed these back at regular governors' meetings. A recent focus has been, for example, pupils' behaviour in lessons.

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The quality of curriculum planning is high and offers pupils a wide range of

23. The headteacher has a consultative style and the school's development plan is the result of discussion between the staff and governors. Parents have also been included in discussions on school improvement. The budget is closely linked with the plan and the two run side by side. Because the budget of a small school is so tight it is planned on a yearly basis keeping in mind future plans for development as well as current priorities. For example, the school now has a redundant kitchen and the plans are to turn it into a staff room as the school does not have one. To this end some contingency allowance is to be made in the budget for this. The governors' finance committee monitors spending carefully and this is aided by the careful reports prepared by the school's administrative officer. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection when the school's financial status was highly unsatisfactory. The principles of best value are

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The quality of curriculum planning is high and offers pupils a wide range of

applied wisely to the acquisition and use of all resources. This applies not only to obtaining tenders for all maintenance, decorating or repair work but also when planning out the best use of time for classroom assistants to the maximum benefit of the school and its pupils.

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The quality of curriculum planning is high and offers pupils a wide range of

24. The quality of teaching and the standards of pupils' work are monitored on a regular basis. This has enabled the school to decide that science should be taught as a discrete subject rather than as part of a topic to ensure coverage of the subject in more depth and thus increase pupils' knowledge and understanding. This has had a positive impact on standards reached, particularly in Key Stage 1 where, for the first time, several pupils achieved the higher level three. Pupils' Stoke St. Michael Primary School - 14 performance is monitored annually in order to set targets for the school and individual pupils.

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The quality of curriculum planning is high and offers pupils a wide range of

The school's relationships with parents are very good.

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The quality of curriculum planning is high and offers pupils a wide range of

25. At the time of the last inspection the school had a record of poor relationships with parents although a start had been made in mending these. Since the appointment of the current headteacher, relationships with parents have improved significantly and they are now very strong.

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The quality of curriculum planning is high and offers pupils a wide range of

26. The school values its partnership with parents and maintains a successful relationship with them. The generally very good quality of information provided to them by the school is acknowledged and appreciated by parents. There is very good involvement of parents in the school and parents’ contribution to their children’s learning is very good. The very good links, relationships between the school and parents and parents’ involvement in the school are major strengths.

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The quality of curriculum planning is high and offers pupils a wide range of

27. Parents feel very welcome in the school and appreciate the 'open door' policy that the school promotes. They know they can discuss any concerns with teachers knowing that they will be carefully considered and ways found of solving any problems. The overwhelming perceptions of parents towards the school are very positive and they hold high opinions of the staff. Parents appreciate the caring and supportive environment that the school provides for their children. The approachability of the staff is a key element in the good relationships that have been established and the on-going very good communications.

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The quality of curriculum planning is high and offers pupils a wide range of

28. There is good direct parental involvement in school with a number of parents actively helping in lessons with activities such as hearing pupils read and assisting pupils working on the computers. Parents attend an induction meeting with the headteacher and individual contracts have been introduced for parents helpers to ensure confidentiality. Parents are consulted over significant school initiatives. These include the school improvement plan and the plans for renovating the old kitchen. The consultation process is appreciated and the headteacher finds the involvement of parents positively beneficial.

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The quality of curriculum planning is high and offers pupils a wide range of

29. The parents appreciate the links that the school has established within the village. As well as holding an Easter tea party for the elderly the school has a close liaison with the pre-school which is sited within the school grounds. Pupils pay visits to local industries such as the quarry and become involved in initiatives in the community. For example, the pupils worked with an artist to make tiles for the millennium path in the village.

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The quality of curriculum planning is high and offers pupils a wide range of

30. There is an active parents' association. Most of the activities are specifically arranged to appeal to the children and are family orientated. These included a craft fair, barbeque, talent night and disco. The association works closely with the headteacher to decide on the best allocation for the funds raised. For example, the parents provided the blinds for the re-furbished hall, adding to the bright, welcoming atmosphere that has now been created.

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The quality of curriculum planning is high and offers pupils a wide range of

31. The positive involvement of parents has meant that they now have full confidence in the school. This has had a positive impact on the pupils' self-confidence and on the standards they achieve. They are very keen to come to school and this is very evident in the way in which pupils enter the class at the start of each day. Stoke St. Michael Primary School - 15

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The pace of lessons for pupils in the middle class is not always brisk enough.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

32 The quality of teaching in the middle class is sound overall and contains some good features. Learning objectives are shared with pupils, and inspiring and relevant activities planned which interest them and appeal to their imagination so that the majority are eager to get on with their work. However, there were occasions during the lessons observed when the pace of learning slowed for a number of reasons.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

33 During some whole class introductions it was clear that the class teacher was effectively sidetracked by one or two pupils introducing ideas that were not relevant to the lesson. Straying from the original objectives led to some fidgety and mildly disruptive behaviour by a very small minority of pupils as their concentration wavered. This meant that the teacher had to spend time on bringing them back on task. This disrupted the flow of the lesson and time had to spent on recapping what had gone before in order to ensure all pupils understood.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

34 Relationships within the class are strong and the teacher relates very well to the pupils. However, management is not always sufficiently firm to ensure that pupils work to maximum capacity throughout the lesson. For example, in a mathematics lesson pupils were illustrating how bisected fruit were symmetrical. They showed good understanding and could explain clearly the number of lines of symmetry. When recording their findings, however, they disregarded the teacher's instructions to record simply and briefly and became over involved in the drawing of the fruit which was not appropriate at this time. Because the pupils were not brought back to the task quickly enough it meant that it overran the time allowed and a further activity was not completed.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

35 Tasks set for the pupils are original, re-inforce whole class input well and are matched well to the needs of individual pupils. However, expectations of how much work the pupils are expected to complete are not high enough. Pupils are set targets but told 'don't worry if you don't complete them all' which is not conducive to hard work and concentrated effort.

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Full implementation of the Foundation Stage curriculum needs to be undertaken

by all staff teaching the youngest children.

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Full implementation of the Foundation Stage curriculum needs to be undertaken

36 The pupils in the foundation make good progress and benefit from a wide range of appropriate activities provided by the headteacher who is mainly responsible for teaching the class. However, there has been too little training related to the Foundation Stage for other staff involved. This means that there is insufficient knowledge of the Early Learning Goals and the stepping stones to be manoeuvred before attaining them. Too few staff meetings have been attended and too little training undertaken. This means that there is little awareness of developments within the school. This is unsatisfactory.

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Full implementation of the Foundation Stage curriculum needs to be undertaken

Standards of supervision at lunchtime are not high enough.

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Full implementation of the Foundation Stage curriculum needs to be undertaken

37 The school has an appropriate number of midday staff having recently employed an additional supervisor after experiencing some concerns with pupils' behaviour at lunchtime. Procedures for lunchtime duties are clear and the headteacher holds training sessions and regular meetings with midday supervisors to explain expectations of behaviour and deployment.

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Full implementation of the Foundation Stage curriculum needs to be undertaken

38 However, it is evident that standards of supervision are not as high as they should be. This results in a minority of pupils displaying unacceptable behaviour and being disruptive to others. The behaviour often goes ignored, for example throwing food in the dining hall, whilst the supervisor carries on with a task such as cutting up fruit which the pupils are well able to do for themselves. Stoke St. Michael Primary School - 16 39 During lunch playtimes a few pupils run in and out of the school to the toilets an excessive amount and it is possible to see how this rumbustious behaviour concerns and frightens some of the younger pupils. During a wet lunchtime there was a considerable rumpus in the boys' toilets which was fully audible to inspectors two rooms away whilst the senior supervisor in the next room ignored it until alerted by inspectors.

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Full implementation of the Foundation Stage curriculum needs to be undertaken

40 Attendance at the school is just satisfactory and the headteacher does carry out some monitoring of attendance. However, the way in which registers are marked is incorrect and confusing and makes it very difficult to track pupils' attendance as the reasons for absence are not clearly identifiable. Too many pupils take holidays during term time and the school does not discourage these emphatically enough. This has an impact on pupils' learning as work covered cannot be repeated on their return.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

18. To improve further the standards of work, quality of education and supervision provided, the governing body, headteacher and staff should :

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

1) Increase the pace of teaching in the middle class by : • staying focused on the objectives of lessons; • maintaining current good relationships but ensuring that management is secure; • ensuring expectations, of the quality and quantity of work to be completed and pupils'; behaviour are sufficiently high. (Paras 32-35)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

2) Ensure that all teachers of children at the Foundation Stage attend a sufficient amount of staff meetings and training to enable them to teach effectively and be aware of school developments. (Para 36)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

3) Improve standards of supervision at lunchtime by : • ensuring that procedures laid down are consistently carried out; • refusing to accept unacceptable standards of behaviour from the pupils; • ensuring that older pupils understand their role more effectively in relation to younger pupils. (Paras 37-39)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

4) Take steps to improve attendance by : • ensuring that registers are marked correctly in order to assist in tracking pupils who are persistently absent; • taking a more positive role in discouraging the taking of holidays in term time. (Para 40) Stoke St. Michael Primary School - 17

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 7

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 64

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 8

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 10

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 5

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 5

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Stoke St. Michael Primary School - 18

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Tables showing pupils results in National Tests at Key Stages 1 and 2 are omitted because of

the small number of pupils taking the tests.

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 4 Financial year 1999/2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 16

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 163425

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 2 Expenditure per pupil 2515

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 27 Balance brought forward from previous year 3082

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 5686 Stoke St. Michael Primary School - 19

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Percentage of responses in each category

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 57 43 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 49 49 0 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 49 31 9 2 9

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 60 40 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 77 17 0 6 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 77 23 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 66 29 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 74 26 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 66 34 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 63 31 0 3 3

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Summary of parents’ and carers’ responses

The parents are very supportive of the school and believe that their children receive a high quality education.

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Other issues raised by parents

A small number of parents were concerned about supervision at lunchtimes.

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